Luke Molyneux scored twice to consign David Unsworth's Everton U23s to a 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

David Henen pulled one back for the Blues in a game they largely dominated, but Unsworth will be disappointed as a side in the Premier League 2 relegation zone completed an unlikely double over his young charges.

The defeat means Everton are now seven points behind leaders Leicester - but do possess a game in hand - but the Toffees missed out on a chance to move within a point of second-placed Liverpool who have also played a game extra.

Unsworth named a young side, with sixteen-year-old debutant Ryan Astley and Michael Collins making the step up from Paul Tait's U18 side to feature in defence alongside Lewis Gibson and Nathangelo Markelo.

Everton took the game to Sunderland early on and could have been two goals up inside the first quarter-hour.

Josh Bowler was the architect on both occasions, but his cut-back from the left wing was fired straight at goalkeeper James Talbot in the second minute, and 10 minutes after that Ryan Astley’s free header from a Bowler corner brushed the roof of the net after going narrowly over.

But Molyneux gave Sunderland the lead with their first real attack on the half-hour, receiving the ball outside the right-hand corner of the box, stepping infield past one man and then curling a left-foot shot beyond Mateusz Hewelt into the top left-hand corner.

Molyneux doubled that lead in the 52nd minute, this time cutting inside from the right-hand touchline and going past two players before firing his shot past Hewelt into the left-hand side of the net.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

Everton’s Bassala Sambou sent a shot across the face of goal and just wide of the left-hand post 15 minutes from time, and Henen brought a smart save out of Talbot with a low first-time effort soon after.

Henen did beat Talbot nine minutes from the end after working space for a shot inside the area on the left, and squeezing his low finish between the keeper and the left-hand post.

David Henen in action for Everton U23 against Arsenal (Image: Jason Roberts)

But Sunderland weathered the late pressure as Everton pushed for an equaliser and held on to claim all three points.